84 THE PINE SISKIN. ' 



petcnt ohscrvcr in (irccnlaiul. I ImUhicH. tlic ni;ile imt only l)oci>ines excecrl- 

 ingly shy Init l(jses liis rosy c<)lt>rin^. It is liardly to 1)€ supposed tliat this 

 loss of color is a protective measure, but rather that it is the result of the 

 exhaustive lalx)rs incident to the season. Nature, in that forhiddiufj clime, 

 cannot afford to dress a busy workman in tine clothes. It is noteworthy 

 in this coiuiection, also, that ca^jcd Rcd]>olls lose their rosy tints ne\cr to 

 regain them. 



No. .?o. 



pinp: siskin 



.\. O. r. Xn. 53^. Spinus pinus (Wils.). 



Synonyms. — .\mi:kic.\n Siski.n. 1'ink Finch. Pim: I.i.nnkt. 



Description. — .Idiill male and female: .Mwive brownish bnffy; l)cIow 

 (.•rfamv-l)iilT and whitish; everywhere streaked with dusky or <lark olive-brown; 

 the stroakings arc liner on the head and foreparts, coarser on back and brtast; 

 wings fuscous, the flijjlU feathers sulpiuir-yellow at the base, and the primaries 

 edged with the same color; tail fuscous, all but the middle feathers sulphur- 

 yellow at base. I'.ill comparatively slender, acute. Length 4.75-5.00 (120.6-127) : 

 wing 2.75 (')<).o) : tail i.So (45-7' : '>'•• -4.? ( io.«>). 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size ; conspicuous general streakiness. sul- 

 phur-yellow markings of wings and tail, most noticeable in flight. 



Nesting. — Xcst: saddled upon horizontal limb of evergreen tree, .well con- 

 cealed from below, usually at motierate heights; very variable in structure, tlimsy 

 to massive and ornate; comfjosed of small twigs ( usually lir). and tree-moss, with 

 a lining of line rootlets and horse- or cow-hair, rarely feathers. .\n average nest 

 measures externally 4'.' inches wide by 2' 1 in. dee]); internally 2 in. wide by t in. 

 deep. l^(/(/s: 1-4, usually 7, or 4, pale bluish green lightly dotted with rufous and 

 blackish, chiellv about larger end. .\v. size .67x48 (17x12.21. Season: 

 March-Si|itiinliiT, but most abiuidant in .April; one brtKid. 



General Range. — North .America at large, breeding in iiigber latitudes, and 

 in coniferous forests of the West to southern boundary of United States; also 

 sparingly in northeastern United States; irregularly south in winter to Ciu'f of 

 Mexico. 



Ran>;e in \\ ashin;;t<»n. In summer coextensive with evergreen timber, but 

 especiallv common ni mountains just below limit of trees; iii winter more li>cal- 

 ized, or irregularly absent. 



Authorities. — Chrxsowilris pinus I'onap. Baird. Rep. I'ac. R. R. Surv. IX. 



pt. II. 1X3,^, p. 425. t: c&s. I.-'. Rb. ]v. IV. Kk. J. r.. 1:. 



Specimens. — I', of W. IVov , 11. K. V. 



IN designing the .^iskin. Nature achieved another triumph in obscurities. 

 The heavv streaky pattern, worked out in dusky olive on a huffy brown 



